In 1996 and 1997, I predicted on the radio show I host that Bill Clinton
would be brought down by actions committed before he moved to Washington.
I was right. The Paula Jones lawsuit, concerning actions Clinton took
while he was governor of Arkansas, led to Monica Lewinsky. The President's
affair with Monica Lewinsky, and the lies he told to cover up the affair,
now fuel the current calls for his resignation.

I also wrote in 1997 that the real concern should be why the American
people still accept and defend Clinton. I remember interviewing Clinton's
schoolmates and former legal colleagues. The good people of Arkansas even
tried to warn us before the 1992 election. But the American people elected
Clinton anyway, and even re-elected him after his scandal-prone first term
in office.

What does this say about our culture and the principles by which Americans
now live? Bill Clinton reminds me of an abusive husband. We are his family.
He beats us and cheats on us, and we delude ourselves with the fact that
- if we just love him a little more - he will stop. When he comes home
drunk with lipstick on his lapel, we continue to forgive him. The American
people have been exposed to so much lying, cheating and deception that we
have become numb to his actions, and our emotions are raw. To condemn Clinton
now would force us to also condemn ourselves. Clinton's philosophy seems
to be that if we do not criticize his sins, he will not criticize ours.

Since we elected him, we are ultimately responsible for Bill Clinton.
Since he is our President, he cannot be corrupt unless we allow him to
be corrupt. Again, like a dysfunctional and abusive family, he always promises
to do better next time and we melt back into his arms.

Our problem is not that President Clinton has inhaled drugs, committed
adultery, accepted illegal campaign contributions or laundered money. It
is about how the American people created a co-dependent and enabling society
that allowed it to happen. Clinton is a reflection of us, and the best
analogy - once again - is the abused family. The family protects and hides
the abuse. Children become either withdrawn or outgoing in an attempt to
stay away from the family. The non-abusive spouse blames himself or herself,
defending the abuser against the world. I have heard it before: "If
he would just stop beating me, cheating on me and gambling, we would have
a great marriage."

I have noticed that anyone who comes out against the President is attacked
and vilified. It doesn't matter if Clinton admits he's wrong or not because
his accuser will be attacked for simply bringing the charges against him.
Not too long ago I heard a preacher lecture from the pulpit that the problem
in the White House was not Clinton and sex, but that Monica told on him.
After the service, I mentioned to the preacher that Clinton was guilty
of adultery. He still did not budge from his position.

Have you noticed the problems you see reported by the media always seem
to involve Ken Starr, Linda Tripp, Gennifer Flowers and Monica Lewinsky,
but not President Clinton? It is never the fault of the alcoholic. The
wife-beater will blame the wife. The cheater will always say, "she
doesn't understand me." Our problem, in both the abusive family and
how we deal with Bill Clinton, is that we accept the abuse.

Our nation is in the midst of an abusive relationship. We are in denial,
and believe that if the President is wrong we must also be wrong. As a
nation, we need counseling. We may, as a people, no longer be able to make
clear and rational decisions.

There is a member of our American family who is not fit to lead. We
must take care of him. If we love him more, he will only continue abusing
us. If we believe his lies and hope for the best, he will still not respect
us. We need to come to terms with our abusive situation. "Mistakes
were made," but it is possible that we have "been misled."
One thing is for certain is that we need to "get this behind us."
If we cannot separate or find safe shelter, we may need a divorce.

###

(C. Mason Weaver is a member of the African American leadership network
Project 21 and the Director of the Committee to Restore America.)

Note: New Visions Commentaries reflect the views of their
author, and not necessarily those of Project 21.